I came into this album with no expectations, only having the vaguest ideas of what Black Moth Super Rainbow sounded like and not realizing that Tobacco was the frontman of the group. My only ideas about it came from the artist name and album title. What I got was not at all what I was anticipating. I thought I was going to encounter fuzzy guitars and buried vocals, primitive drum beats and discordant blasts of sound. This isn't at all what this album has given me.
My first clue was that I was wrong came when I saw that Fucked Up Friends was released on Anticon, but I disregarded that, figuring that maybe they were just trying to broaden their horizons. This seemed perfectly logical to me, doesn't Anitcon pride their label on releasing non-conventional sounds? But as I pressed play, I wasn't prepared for what hit me and I doubt that I could have been.
Immediately, a smile appeared on my face. For some reason, I didn't know something like this existed. Black Moth Super Rainbow's frontman's solo album is an absolute blast. It is full of synths and swirling sounds that float over your head, but the record also manages to stay grounded by a heavy reliance on hip-hop beats. Granted, I knew that instrumental hip-hop existed, but this is nothing like what I had heard. The textures bear no resemblance to Madlib's experiments in fusing Indian music or Jazz with hip-hop culture. No, this is something else entirely.
The sounds here aren't necessarily the kind that will inspire emotions. They are, however, the kind that will inspire the imagination to see colors and images. The colors bled together painting a surreal image, in my case it was a single car driving down a lonely desert road at night amidst a pulsing bright purple sky (needless to say, Fucked Up Friends would make an excellent driving album). Overwhelmingly, the colors that come to mind, no matter the song, are bright, yet tainted by darker shades that are hinted at within the music.
The most conflicting moment on the album is “Dirt,” on which indie rapper Aesop Rock guest stars. Aesop delivers his typical type of verse, which is generally on the excellent side, but there is something about the track that feels off. The lyrical content doesn't seem that different from the standard, but it feels more surreal as a result of the music backing him. Perhaps what makes this such a difficult song to assess is that it relies so heavily on lyrics, while the rest of the album consists mostly of instrumentals. The song itself may not be bad, in fact it could be a great song, but within the context of Fucked Up Friends, it feels burdened by its reliance on vocals.
The remainder of the album, those songs that do include vocals, never suffers from this problem. The words that are used feel natural and could, and usually do take a back seat to the music. By allowing for the songs to build on their own without relying on a vocal narrative, Tobacco allows the listener to re-imagine each track with every new play.
The songs fold upon themselves and unfold, always growing and returning to what they have already stated creating - a sense of predictable unpredictability. Each song tends to expand on a single idea, letting it take hold and wash over your ears. One thing that is certain is the warmth that Fucked Up Friends provides. It is impossible not to smirk and bob your head while this record is spinning. The next time that I hit a rut, this is the album that I am turning to. The next time I need driving music, this is what I am turning to. The next time I need an album to listen to, there is a good chance it will be this one.
Track List
1. Street Trash (1:55)
2. Truck Sweat (3:09)
3. Hairy Candy (3:15)
4. Hawker Boat (2:06)
5. Side 8 (Big Gums Version) (3:17)
6. Yum Yum Cult (1:06)
7. Berries That Burn (2:07)
8. Get My Nails Did (0:11)
9. Dirt (Featuring Aesop Rock) (4:01)
10. Gross Magik (3:54)
11. Little Pink Riding Hood (2:01)
12. Backwoods Altar (4:08)
13. Untitled (0:05)
14. Tape Eater (2:24)
15. Pink Goo (2:22)
16. Grease Wizard (2:09)
